Milwaukee City Wire

Asher Ozuzu led the Milwaukee men's soccer team to a 4-1 victory over Oakland on Saturday at Engelmann Stadium. The Panthers, now with a record of 5-2-3 overall and 1-2-1 in the Horizon League, took an early lead and secured their win with two additional goals after Oakland scored in the 64th minute.

The match saw Milwaukee extend its unbeaten streak at home to six games this season. Earlier in the week, they defeated Drake, a regionally-ranked team, by a score of 2-1. This recent performance marked Milwaukee's highest goal tally since October 2021 and ended Oakland's five-game unbeaten run.

Head coach Kris Kelderman emphasized the team's focus on transition play and defense. "The thing that we have been really emphasizing is that attacking we can be pretty dangerous," Kelderman stated. He highlighted the importance of finishing opportunities and maintaining strong defense when leading.

Milwaukee capitalized on all four shots they had on target out of nine total attempts during the game. Mitch Goodman assisted Mesfin Roda for his first goal of the season at nearly 19 minutes into the match. A long goal kick from Daniel Ibarra set up Alejandro Martinez to assist Ozuzu's first goal with a header in the 37th minute.

Despite being outshot by Oakland, Milwaukee maintained their lead through strategic defense. Roda also contributed to Ryan Berghauer's goal from a set piece in the second half, while Ozuzu completed his brace with another goal late in the game.

"Asher was extremely dangerous today," said Kelderman, noting significant performances from other players as well. Ibarra made eight saves throughout the match, equaling his career high. "From day one, Danny has been special," Kelderman remarked about Ibarra's skills both as a goalkeeper and in managing play.

Although Oakland had more shots and possession, it was Milwaukee who secured an impressive win ahead of their upcoming contest against Marquette for the "Milwaukee Cup" scheduled for Tuesday evening.